Published: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 11:16 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 11:16 p.m.

WILSON | For the 10th time in program history, Wilmington Post 10 is the American Legion baseball state champions.

Facts

Post 10 glance

Wilmington advances to the Southeast Regional tournament, which starts Aug. 8 in Asheboro. Wilmington plays the South Carolina champion at 4:30 p.m. that day and will be joined by state champions from Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama and the home team, Dixon Post 45.

Wilmington scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning to beat Kernersville Post 36 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Fleming Stadium.

This state championship had special meaning to the players and coaches. Post 10 (29-2) passed Gastonia for most titles in state history, and they won back-to-back titles for just the second time in program history.

The team has played the past month with a heavy heart. Longtime assistant coach and former New Hanover and UNCW player Brack Hardee died June 29. They have played the postseason with the slogan "Back-to-back for Brack."

"It's just overwhelming," Post 10 coach Scott Sandlin said. "Every time I think about Brack I get a little choked up.

"The fact that our kids got us the most state titles in history, we are going to a regional and did it for Brack, it's all just so much mixed into one pot that when you think about all of them you get a little emotional."

Post 10 heads back to the Southeast Regional tournament in Asheboro from Aug. 8-12. They will take on the South Carolina champion in the opening round.

Joe O'Donnell (Hoggard/N.C. State) put in a complete-game effort on the mound for Wilmington, striking out 12. He allowed just three hits.

"When Joe is on his A-game, nobody is going to hit him around here, and that's what he had today," catcher Chance Shepard said.

It looked like O'Donnell might be the hard-luck loser after Post 36 took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on a throwing error and passed ball.

The score remained the same until the top of the ninth. Shepard (N.C. State/Ashley) led off the inning with a single. He moved to third on a misplayed grounder off the bat of Shane Shepard (Ashley), who advanced to second on the throw. After Collin Thacker (New Hanover/Gardner-Webb) lined out to center, Ward Coleman (New Hanover) singled home Chance Shepard to tie the game.

Eric Eason (Ashley/Charlotte), who entered the game as a pinch runner in the eighth, gave Post 10 the lead with a sacrifice fly.

"You've got to be happy you are in that situation, because you don't get in that situation in baseball that often," Coleman said. "What was going through my mind was all the hard work that I took part in and my team, of course, was in my head."

O'Donnell returned for the ninth despite throwing 110 pitches. He struck out the final three batters on curveballs.

"There was no doubt that I was going out there," O'Donnell said. "Once I got out there, it was just like nothing else existed and I was just running on pure adrenaline."

<p>WILSON | For the 10th time in program history, Wilmington Post 10 is the American Legion baseball state champions.</p><p>Wilmington scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning to beat Kernersville Post 36 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Fleming Stadium.</p><p>This state championship had special meaning to the players and coaches. Post 10 (29-2) passed Gastonia for most titles in state history, and they won back-to-back titles for just the second time in program history.</p><p>The team has played the past month with a heavy heart. Longtime assistant coach and former New Hanover and <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a> player Brack Hardee died June 29. They have played the postseason with the slogan "Back-to-back for Brack."</p><p>"It's just overwhelming," Post 10 coach Scott Sandlin said. "Every time I think about Brack I get a little choked up.</p><p>"The fact that our kids got us the most state titles in history, we are going to a regional and did it for Brack, it's all just so much mixed into one pot that when you think about all of them you get a little emotional."</p><p>Post 10 heads back to the Southeast Regional tournament in Asheboro from Aug. 8-12. They will take on the South Carolina champion in the opening round.</p><p>Joe O'Donnell (Hoggard/N.C. State) put in a complete-game effort on the mound for Wilmington, striking out 12. He allowed just three hits.</p><p>"When Joe is on his A-game, nobody is going to hit him around here, and that's what he had today," catcher Chance Shepard said.</p><p>It looked like O'Donnell might be the hard-luck loser after Post 36 took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on a throwing error and passed ball. </p><p>The score remained the same until the top of the ninth. Shepard (N.C. State/Ashley) led off the inning with a single. He moved to third on a misplayed grounder off the bat of Shane Shepard (Ashley), who advanced to second on the throw. After Collin Thacker (New Hanover/Gardner-Webb) lined out to center, Ward Coleman (New Hanover) singled home Chance Shepard to tie the game. </p><p>Eric Eason (Ashley/Charlotte), who entered the game as a pinch runner in the eighth, gave Post 10 the lead with a sacrifice fly.</p><p>"You've got to be happy you are in that situation, because you don't get in that situation in baseball that often," Coleman said. "What was going through my mind was all the hard work that I took part in and my team, of course, was in my head."</p><p>O'Donnell returned for the ninth despite throwing 110 pitches. He struck out the final three batters on curveballs. </p><p>"There was no doubt that I was going out there," O'Donnell said. "Once I got out there, it was just like nothing else existed and I was just running on pure adrenaline."</p>